Apparatus for treating house waste or sewage.



E. L. MEGILL. APPARATUS FOR TREATING HOUSE WASTE OR SEWAGE.

Patented May 1, 1917. 4 SHEETS-SHEET i mmA o cy annum E. L. MEGHJ..

APPARATUS FOR TREATiNG HOUSE WASTE OR SEWAGE.

APPLICATION min 1uLY14,1915.

LQMA., 11116111911 May1, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3@ Patented May 1, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

mr mwms mans caJmDmLmm., wAsHwunm, u c,

E. L. MEGILL. APPARATUS FOR TREATING HOUSE WASTE 0R SEWAGE.

APPLlCATION FILED IULY1419I5. Lf. Patented May 1, 1917.

willig-ETE@ ATES PATENT @ldltlQE EDWARD L. MEGILL,

.APPARATUS FOB, TREATING Application filed July 14,

To all fui/0m it 01mg/ concern it known that l', l'lnwlxnn L. MEGILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Treating House Vf aste or Sewage, of which the following' is a specication.

This application is in part for the same subject-matter as was disclosed in my former applications Serial No. 684,955 filed March th, 1912, and Serial No. 862,881 filed November th, 1913.

This invention relates to apparatus for treating house waste or sewage, and is designed to take the place of tie ordinary cess-pool or septic tank, or other sewage systems at present in use.

lt is fact that the waste discharged from a dwelling consists largely of water, which is the most convenient vehicle for carrying the waste out of the house. Furthermore, the waste itself is largely water, and the proportion of organic or solid matter is very small. Under the present practice the waste, so largely diluted with water is most generally run into a cess-pool, which a ground-tank and whose bottom is not scaled. rlhe theory is that the solids will remain in the tank, while the water seeps out into the surrounding earth. rlhe diiiiculty is that the waste in such a contrivance is without access of air, is substantially salad up, becomes putrescent because of the very fact of the presence of water, and when and if it does make its escape into the surrounding earth, makes its way in the form of a most noxious li( iid, because the solid particles having been confined for so long with water have an opportunity to liquefy. The septic tank idea is open to the same objection, because is a sealed tank and the material is held in it until the solids liqueiy, so that when the tank is discharged, although the liquid that runs od may be clear., it is nevertheless most objectionable.

By my invention l propose to take the waste at the very moment' of its discharge from the house and begin forthwith the process of separating the very slight solid content from the water. The apparatus which l employ includes an outside tank or receptacle having a sealed bottom, and a second receptacle within the first, the second receptacle having its walls spaced from those of the first receptacle, and the second Specification of Letters Patent.

or new Yoan, N. Y.

HOUSE WASTE 0R SEWAGE.

Patented May i, 193W.,

1915. Serial N0.39,781.

receptacle having` communication with the first by way of an opening or openings along the bottom walls of the second receptacle. rlhe space or spaces between the two receptacles is filled with sand or the like filtering material, and the discharge of the matter to be treated is into the second or inner receptacle. From this inner receptacle the liquid constituents iind their way through the openings at the lower ends of the walls of the inner receptacle, through the. sand which is packed between the two receptacles, and then out through a suitable discharge. The solids remain within the inner receptacle, their escape prevented by the sand barrier. On account of the particular arrangement, the path of the liquids in their first separation from the solids is not downward, and advantage is thus taken of the force of gravity te maintain the solids within the inner receptacle. While this separation is going on, l provide for the ventilation of the apparatus, so that oxidation and nitrilication may' take place to the full-` est extent. l contemplate also that the receptacles, and th apparatus in general, shall be shallow, as distinguished from the deep tanksl and pits heretofore employed, so that the liquids after their separation, may be spread over an extended surface, to give the air the fullest opportunity for its purifying action thereupon. l also provide for affording to the apparatus the necessary periods of rest, by arranging two sets of receptacles, and discharging the house waste into them'in alternation. Furthermore, l provide for irregularity in the quantity of waste discharged from the house,'by pro` viding within such an outside receptacle as l have referred to, a plurality of inner receptaclcs, and arranging for the overflow from one inner receptacle to the next inner receptacle, in case the discharge from the house is for the moment too excessive to be taken care of by a single inner receptacle. @ther features of the invention, together with the advantages inherent, will be in part obvious and in par specifically referred to in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts, and applications of principles constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will appear from the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification,

and in which I have shown apparatus adapted for the carrying out of my process,

Figure 1 is a plan view ofy a sewage disposal apparatus within my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 Iof I4Fig. 1,'

looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a :plan view lof :oneofvthe unitsofthe apparatus of Fig. 1, withthe cover removed; Fig. l is a vertical section on the line Afa .of YFig. 3; Fig. 5 is a viewyon an enlarged.. scale of the alternating `device of.I

Figs, ,1' and, 2, withthe cover removed; Fig.

6 isa kverticaLsection,ontheline Gf of F ig; 5,, looking in ,the direction of the arrows, .the ,cover 31. lbeingadded .to.this figure Fig. is all .Gndview of, .the alternating device asl itI appears whenilookedat from the.

righthand. side in.-Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is an-.en-

largedperspective .view of -the .end of one of.- the .pipes22 Fig 9 is `atoppl an view .of a

modified. arrangement. of apparatus. within myin'ventiong Fig. 10 is a sectional view takenpn the line I,l0-10 ofl Fig. 9; Fig. 11

is a top,t plan vviewof ,another .modification of theapparatus; Fig. 12 is atop planview.

' illustratingtstill another modification; Fig.

13 isa view similar to, Fig. 12, showing an,.. other modified` form of apparatus; and Fig.v

i vice for deliyering the. sewage or, waste from the house atl will to .one or the other of the .units A thereby. providing for -the op? eration of .one lof the units .whiletheothers are resting, or beingzcleanedor ,replenisliefh with sand. Eachunit A consists ofal trough 1, preferably of. concrete, the said troughs beingdisposed side. by side, .as shown.. These troughs may .incline downwardly from the sewage delivery .alternating device B, in or.- der to facilitate the movement of the, liq-.. uid through the. device, andrwhich open at theirffar endsfor .the naldischarge of vthe liquid.. Fach of `these. troughs constitutes what 1 vshall'refer toas an outside receptacle,an d withineach of Athese outside re-l ceptacles is a plurality of inner receptacles 2,2,- and 2h, which receive the. waste as it is discharged from the house. These inner receptacles are made up ,as follows are v concret@ Cross-pieces .witliiii ,tlie trough or outer: receptacle, which extend. in `quite to,y

the .sidewalls of the, trough, andthese cross walls 3,-,.3 are .suitably yspaced aparta l-fl are .remggvableside boards whose. .ends slidey doavn into` suitable vertical. grooves .5 ,at the end sof thecross-pieces. 3, aswell as in`the, face of the concrete end wall 6 at themupper ,y

end of.thetr.ough., Thus..i s.provided,a seriesof receptacles down .the middle. Yof eachV COVCS. screens across thetroughs kor outer receptrough, separated from each other by the cross walls 3 and separated from the sides oftheoutside.receptacle or trough by alleys 7. It is preferred, as shown in the drawings, that the lfirst inner receptacle 2 in each trough shall be considerably longer and therefore larger than the others, because it is this receptacle which initially receives the waste and takes out the bulk of the solids.

The successive inner receptacles in each trough communicate with each other by means of liquid overflow-connections, eachz comprising a pipe 8extending`through a holein theparticular cross. wall 3, so. that noreceptacle will at any time fill to over flowing,V but the-v excess liquid `will liowM throughfthe pipe S intethesucceeding -in-` ner receptacle.. The rear` ends of lthe pipes 8 are vbent downwardly to tapthe liquidunder the surface and thereby .avoidas lfar as possible lthepassage of the surface-floodingsolids and grease frolnone.inner-,receptacle tothe next. The grooves 5 do. not extend all the. way to they concrete or cement floor of the i tro ugh, with the .result that` the isideI boards i l are heldaway from the floor to the extent of a space of about one inch between the bottom edges of the side boards and said floor, as indicatedat 12. 9`9 are reciprocatable rakes, Vone in the-bottom Vof V'each alley 7, having teethl() extending into the aforesaid spaces 12, toagitate thesand material in said spaces andthealleys 7,v as hereinafter explained. These vralresw are .'pivotally connected to the lower ends kof upright handles Y 14, which, in turn, are pivotedintermediate theirl endstopins 15 projecting inwardly from -the side wallsll 0f the troughs 17+17 arepraintight covers over the troughs and their respective innersewage receptacles. Thcsecovers rest uponl the tops of the walls 6 and 16 of thefoutside receptacles or troughs and preferablydrainthe rainwater to the the `waterto the lolwer uncovered ends 18 of the troughs, which it will be noted extend. beyond the` last receptacle 2b and beyond the 17. 19- 19 are insect-y excluding tacles, immediately beyond the last inner receptacles 2b, and under the ends of the covers lt, will be noted that the covers for each'trouglrare preferably in sections corresponding to the number and extent of the inner receptacles 2, 2, 2b, of that particular trough,so that any of theinner receptacles can Ibe exposed `at will.-

The wasteI is delivered initially into the first receptacle 2 of the unit A which happens to be in use., i":rom 4 the alternating device B.. This latter ydevice has a preferably concrete `or cast iron chamber 2O having a hole 2l in onewallwith which is connectedthe the sewage from the house. From holes in the opposite wall of this chamber extend pipes 22 which connect with chamber 2O with the first inner receptacle 2 in the respective troughs or outer receptacles, through holes provided for the purpose in the end wall 6. 23 is a pipe havingl a ball-shaped end projecting into the chamber 2O through the aperture 24. 25 is a swivel pipe having one end telescoped over the ball-shaped end of the pipe 23, and adapted at its other end to drop into the end of any one of the respective pipes 22, the ends of these pipes 22 being cut away at 26 (Figs. 6 and 8) for this purpose. The ball-joint 23 permits the pipe 25 to be swiveled or swung to connect its lower or delivery end with any one of the pipes 22 at will. To prevent endwise displacement of the pipes 25, a loose lever or pin 27 is provided, which projects from the top of the wall 23 through the wall of the pipe 25.

28 is a handle on the delivery end of the pipe 25 projecting through a horizontal slot 29 in the wall of the chamber 20, and having downwardly extending notches 30 corresponding in location to the pipes 22, so that the user of the apparatus, without removing the lid 31 of the alternating chamber 20, can alternate the delivery of the sewage from one unit A to another by merely lifting the handle 28 up out of the given notch 30, swinging it horizontally in the slot 29, and dropping it down into the desired notch 30. It will be noticed that there is a downward incline from the soil pipe 2l through the pipes 25 and 22 to the units A, which gives a gravity flow of the sewage and prevents leakage at the ball-joint 23, even though the latter be not absolutely tightiitting.

In the use of this particular apparatus, the bottoms of the several receptacles 2, 2a, 2b, are covered with about a half inch of sand, and the alleys 7 and the open trough space 18 at the end of each unit A, are lled with sand to a depth approximately the level of the sewage in the first receptacle 2 when the latter has been filled and is overflowing into the next receptacle 2a by way of the connecting pipe 8. The alternator handle 28 is operated to connect the soil pipe with one of the units A. If there be sufiicient volume of sewage to more than lill the receptacle 2, the excess overflows by pipe 8 into the inner receptacle 2a, and thence if necessary into inner receptacle 2b. The sewage will not stand in these inner receptacles as it does in a cesspool, but the liquids immediately begin to drain off through the spaces under the boards il into the alleys 7. They then rise through the sand in the alleys to the approximate level of the liquid in the inner receptacles, and at the same time liow through the sand toward the open lower end of the trough into and through the sand in the open air bed 18, whereby they are further filtered and puried, with oxidation and nitriiication. ln case the sand-like material becomes clogged it may be readily loosened by working the handles of the rakes 9.

Ventilation, aeration, nitriiication and oxidation are effected as by means of the pipe 34: which is connected to the several pipes 22. lfnasinuch as these pipes 22 have their discharge ends above the level of the liquid in the inner receptacles into which they discharge, and inasmuch as the cross walls 3 and the side boards 4t do not extend fully up to the covers of said inner receptacles, air may pass through the screen 19, over the contents of the several receptacles, out through the pipes 22 and into the pipe 34, which may be extended upwardly alongside 'of or into the chimney or Ventilating pipe of the house, the natural draft thus induced creating a current of air through all ofthe units, and conducting` away any slight. odors which may be present.

rllhe alternating device should preferably be operated occasionally to divert the house waste into another unit, giving the unit last used an opportunity to rest and so permit the contained solids to dry on the bed, especially of the first receptacle 2 of that unit, and to permit them to oxidize and purify in the' air which is constantly circulating over and through the troughs; and further, to permit the liquids to slowly lter through the sand in the alleys and in the fully exposed section 18 and out of the lower end vof the trough into the open ground, by

which time the liquids will have been rendered clear and innocuous and may be run into a stream, if one be conveniently at hand; or they may be permitted merely to sink into the ground, or may be distributed through an underground open tile system with ramifying branches, or otherwise suitably disposed of. Sight openings 50 protected bv glass may be provided in the covers 17 through which the condition of the contents of the inner receptacles may be determined, or a larger portion of the covers may be of glass for this purpose and for the additional and important purifying chemical effect of the admitted light upon the contents of the receptacles.

At suitably long intervals, whenever necessary, any unit may be cleaned by removing its covers and shoveling out the contents, a layer of dirt being thrown over the solids before shoveling them out, the product makes a splendid inoffensive fertilizer. Some at least of the liquid running off from the troughs may be collected for use as an excellent nutriment in the garden. The entire apparatus is preferably only about one foot in height, but extensive in lil area,and may be dropped below` the surface of lthe ground so that it cannot be seenand will nevertheless ygive the necessary gravity runfromthe soilpipey There will be practically noevidence of the presence of the apparatus, except for the covers 17, and further concealment may be had by surrounding `the apparatus with a growth of hedge or the' like.

I prefer `that the rain water from the roof shall? not zbe discharged into the apparatus, so as to avoid needless taxing of the same in draining and filtering so much practically purewatenf yThe sewage,` with the use of myv apparatus, 1sv not held or stored up 1n any sense, but-from the moment of-its discharge romthe yhouse begins: to yseparate and no opportunity yis given lfor the liquefaction ofcharge end of the apparatus. It? is desirabley thatr the troughs ofmy apparatus shallv be locatedside-by iside, as in the drawings, to savespace and1to make each'party wall serve for the two walls whichfwouldy otherwise be necessary However, this is obviously -not essential to theA operation-of the invention, and it isy likewise -inot essentiahthough it vis desirable, thatfthefsides of the trough-'bev actually ystraight or parallel, or that said troughs, or indeed ythe'other parts of' the apparatus shall be built precisely as shown.

The-name side boards applied to the members'll ldoes not mean that'these members are necessarily made of 'woody On thev A contrary,theymayfconsist of slabs of cony crete or may be made of 'sheetinetal 'Ihe reasonfor having these sideiboards l removable is to permit the sand from'the alleys to` be -quickly'spread over the bottomsofthe troughs so that it may be cleaned and renovated by running clean fresh water into the trough, after which the sand may be exposed to the'sun and fresh air and so completely renovated in -order that itmay 'be used over and overv again.

One of the essentials of the device ythus far. described and of the method of using it is that vthere be provision 'for beginning the separationof the waste' into its solid and liquid constituents: as soon as it is'discharged from the soil pipe. that the waste'be discharged into'one receptacleiandfind itsway through the-bottom Another essential is of jthat f receptacle and through a wall of" sand covering the passage between the inner receptacle and the outer receptacle and fill-y ing the spacebetween them; and another importantfeature is that the liquid, upon leaving the inner receptacle, does not travel downwardly, so that -the' force of gravity assists in preventing the movement vof vany solids from the inner receptacle vthrough the barrier sand filter into the outer receptacle.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a modified arrangement. In that figure there is indicated at 90 a soil pipe, and there is an alternator 91. This alternator may be turned to the left or-to the right and discharges into one or the other of a right hand and left hand series of inner receptacles 2, 2a, 2b, each of such series being inclosed within an outer receptacle r92, which is divided into two parts by means of a party wall 93. The inner receptacles 2, 2, 2b, are separated by means' of cross walls 3 as in the form yalready described, and ithere are also provided the overflow pipes 8. These inner receptacles 2, 2a, 2b, are not, however, spaced ceptacle 92, but one of the side walls of the outer receptacle 92 constitutes also in this case'the side walll of the several inner receptacles, and there is provided `an alley 7 apart from both side walls of the outer re between the other outer wall of the 'outsider receptacle 92, and the several inner receptacles. Also in Fig, 9, the outer receptacle extends beyond the'last inner recepl through a slot formed between the lowerv edges of the side boards 4 and the bottom of the inner receptacle 92,' as in the other form of the apparatus before described,and thel ow of liquid from the sand filter isI outI througha pipe 94 whichis ona level with the bottom of the'v outside receptacle 92. There is'also a pipe' 95, whose rear end is extendedzthrough the cross wall 3 at the end of the inner receptaclev2b, and whose lower end discharges atfa lower level into the sand filter between the end of the inner receptacle 2b and the end of the outer receptacle 92.

In Fig. 11 there is shownla still further modification, in which the several series of inner receptacles2, 2a, 2b andl=2cr are disposed in a radially arrangedl plurality of troughs or outer receptacles 96, thealternator 97 being swung .from one to another of these troughs as described.v

In Fig.v 12 there is shown a form of `device fwhich maybe called-a single uni-tw Here there is an outside receptacle 98 which has a sealedfbottom, and in'this outside re' Aaoceptacle there is positioned an inner receptacle 99, with a 'space between them for sand receptacles 98 and 99 is through a pipe 101 finds its way, rising up into tl sand and being discharged through a mu titude of pipes 102 which enter-the wall of the outside receptacle 98. This form of d vice is very simple and cheap to manufacture, because the inner receptacle can be;

readily removed.

In Fig. 13 there is a form of device similar to that shown 1n Fig. 12, but with the if connections, the sides of said receptacles having horizontally elongated liquid outlets dierence that the inner as well as the outer receptacle is divided into two parts, so that one part may be in operation while the other is resting. The dividing wall is indicated at 103, the inner receptacle at 104, and the sand barrier at 105. This form of the device, as well as that shown in other figures of the drawing is preferably provided with the screen 19 previously described, and provision is made so that air drawn in through these screens 19 may pas-s over the surface of the liquid within the inner receptacle or receptacles and of the sand barrier, and out through a Ventilating pipe or chimney. And in Fig. 14 there is shown a form of housing which may be placed over the apparatus shown in Fig. 13, with a ventilation cowl at the top.

It will be evident that the method herein described may be practised in other ways than that which I have illustratively described, and also that the construction of the apparatus may be almost infinitely varied.

Therefore, inasmuch as many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely di'erent embodiments of my invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover al1 the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. In sewage disposal apparatus the combination of a plurality of downwardly tending `troughs open for the delivery of liquid from their lower ends, sewage-receiving receptacles in the troughs having hori.

zontally elongated side outlets near their bottoms for delivering the liquid from the sewage to the respective troughs,- sand-like material in the troughs adjacent said receptacles to the approximate liquid level of the sewage upon delivery into the receiving ceptacles; and horizontally reciprocatable ilre means in the sand of the troughs havi g teeth which enter the aforesaid side outlets in the receptacles.

i 2. In sewage disposal apparatus the combination of a plurality of downwardly tending troughs open for the delivery o1 liquid from their lower ends; a succession of rectangular sewage-receiving receptacles eX- tending down the middle of the respective troughs, successive receptacles being conl,nected with each other by liquid overflownear their bottoms, sand-like material in the alleys between the sides of the troughs and the sides of the receptacles, and rake-means for agitating t-he sand-like material in said khorizontally elongated liquid outlets.

A unit of a sewage disposal system comprising a downwardly tending trough open for the delivery of the liquid from its lower en d, a plurality of rectangular sewage-recelving receptacles arranged in succession down the middle of said trough to leave alleys between the sides of the receptacles and the sides of the trough, said sides of the receptacles .being removable and having openings through them at the bottom, and the ends of the receptacles having liquid overflow openings through them which connect successive receptacles.

4. A unit of a sewage disposal system comprising a downwardly tending trough open for the delivery of the liquid from its lower end, a plurality of rectangular sewage-receiving receptacles arranged in succession down the middle of said trough to leave alleys between the sides of the receptacle and the sides of the trough, said sides of the receptacles being removable and having openings through them at the bottom, and the ends of the receptacles having liquid overflow openings through them which connect successive receptacles; a cover resting upon the sides of said trough, the sides and ends of the sewage-receiving receptacles being less deep than the sides of the trough so that they are not sealed by said cover; and the lower end of the trough extending beyond the last sewage-receiving receptacle and beyond the cover and being adapted to receive sand-like material to provide a final filtration in the trough open to light and air.

5. Sewage disposal apparatus comprising the combination of a trough open for the delivery of liquid from its lower end, a sewage-receiving receptacle in said trough with a side alley between them, said receptacle near its bottom having an outlet for the delivery of the sewage-liquid from the receptacle to the aforesaid alley.

6. Sewage disposal apparatus comprising the combination of a downwardly tending trough open for the delivery of liquid from its lower end, a sewage-receiving receptacle in said trough with a side alley beage-liquid, from the receptacle. to the afore-.

said alley, ,and sandlike material lin said alley.

8. Sewage disposalv apparatus comprising the combination of av downwardly tending trough open-for the delivery of liquid from its. lower end, a sewage-receiving receptacle in said troughrwith a side alleyy between them, said receptacle near its bottom havingan outletvv for thedelivery ofthe sewageliquid from the. receptacle tothe aforesaid alley, and deep= iilter material in said alley.

9. Sewage disposal apparatus comprising the combination of adownwardly tending trough open forthe delivery of liquid from its lower end, a sewage-receiving receptacle in said trough with a side alley between them, saidreceptacle Vnear its bottom having an outlet for the deliveryr of the sewage-liquid from the receptacle to the aforesaid alley, deep kfilter material in said alley, and shallow filter material lin the receptacle.

10. Sewage disposal apparatus comprising the combination of a downwardly tending trough op'en'forl the 'delivery of liquid from itslower end, a plurality of sewagereceiving,receptacles arranged in succession downI the interior of said trough with a side alley between them and the side of the trough, the sides of said receptacles having outlets at the bottom for delivering the sewage-liquid from thereceptacles to the alley, andthe ends of the receptacles havingliquid overflow; connections ,with each other.

l1.-Sewage disposal apparatus comprising the combination of a downwardly tending trough open for the delivery of liquid from its lower end, a sewage-receiving receptacle in said trough with a side alley between them, thesides of .said receptacle near its bottom having` a horizontally elongated outlet for the delivery of the sewage liquid from the receptacle to the aforesaid alley, sand-like material in said alley, and horizontally reciprocatable rake means in the alley'having vteeth which enter the aforesaid sideoutlet inthe receptacle.

l2. Sewage disposal Vapparatus comprising the combination of a downwardly tending trough open for the delivery of liquid from its lower end, a sewage-receiving receptacle in said trough with a side alley between them, said receptacle near its botJ tom having an outlet for the rdelivery of the sewage liquid fronn the receptacle to the aforesaid alley, sand-like. materialin the alley, and sand-likek material filling the delivery end of the trough .beyond the` receptacle.

13. Sewage disposal apparatus comprising the combination of a downwardly.` tending trough open for `the deliveryof liquid from its lower end, a. sewage-receivingl receptacle in said trough with `a side `alley =between them, said receptacle near its bottom yhaving an outlet for` the delivery of the sewage-liquid` from the receptacle to theiaforesaichalley, sand-like material in said alley, rainexeluding covering means for said trough, and insect-excluding means at the openend thereof.

`14. Sewage Idisposalapparatus comprising the combination of a downwardlyv tending trough yopen for the delivery ofliquid from its lower end, a sewage-receiving receptacle in said trough with a side valleybetween them, the receptacle near its` bottomhaving an outlet for the delivery of thev sewage liquid from thereceptacletol the alleyysandlike material inzthey alley, coveringmeans for said trough and receptacle'but which does not sealthe top `of the receptacle butI 100 on the contrary Apermits air circulation thereto.

l5. Sewage disposal apparatuscomprising the combination of ;a .downwardly tending trough open for the delivery of liquid from 10g its lower end, a sewage-receiving:receptacle in said trough witha side alley-between them the receptacle` near its bottom having an outlet for the delivery of the sewage-liquid fromithe receptacle to the alley, sand- 110 like material in the alley, covering means for said trough and reeeptaclewhich does not seal the. top of the 'receptacle but onv the contrary permits air circulation thereto, vand means for creating a .circulation of air through the trough. A

16. Sewage disposaliapparatus comprising Vthe combination of la downwardly tending trough open foi-.the delivery oflliquidfrom itslower end, a sewage-receiving receptacle 12o in said trough lwith Ia sidealley :between them, said receptacle near its bottom having an outletffor deliveringtheisewage liquid from the receptacle to the alley,.sandlike material-filling the delivery yend ofthe trough beyond the receptacle, and a covering for said trough which extends over the receptacle but not overthe sand-likematerial inthe trough beyond the-receptacle.

l17. Sewage disposal apparatus comprising the combination of a plurality of units each adapted to filter the sewage and subject to dry oxidation, said units being arranged in parallel, an alternating device for delivering the sewage to any one of said units at will comprising a chamber into which the delivery end of the soil pipe is adapted to project, independent pipe connections between said chamber and the units, and a swivel pipe in the chamber adapted to be swiveled on the end of the soil pipe to connect it at will with any one of the aforesaid independent pipe connections in the chamber.

18. Sewage disposal apparatus comprising the combination of a plurality of units each adapted to filter the sewage and subject to dry oxidation, an alternating device for delivering the sewage to any one of said units at will comprising a chamber into which the delivery end of the soil pipe is adapted to project, independent pipe connections between said chamber and the units, and a swivel pipe in the chamber adapted to be swiveled on the end of the soil pipe to connect it at will with any one of the aforesaid independent pipe connections in the chamber.

19. Sewage disposal apparatus, comprising the combination of a series of receptacles in communication one with the other near their upper ends, and ltering troughs in communication with opposite sides of each of said receptacles.-

20. Sewage disposal apparatus, comprisying the combination of a series of receptacles in communication one with the other near their upper ends, and ltering troughs in communication with opposite sides of each of said receptacles adjacent the bottoms thereof.

21. Sewage disposal apparatus, comprising the combination with a series of receptacles in communication one with the other near their upper ends, and filtering troughs in communication with opposite sides of each of said receptacles, the connections between said receptacles comprising overflow pipes which are downwardly bent into adjoining receptacles.

22. ln a,l device of the kind described, an outside tank or receptacle having a sealed bottom, and a second receptacle within the first, the second receptacle having its walls spaced from those of the first receptacle, and having communication with the lirst receptacle by way of an opening or openings along the bottom walls of the second receptacle, a body of sand or the like ltering material in the spaces between the two receptacles, and a conduit discharging into the second receptacle.

23. ln a device ot the kind. described, an outside tank or receptacle having a sealed bottom, a plurality oI'l receptacles within said outside receptacle, each of said plurality of naa-1,463

receptacles having its walls spaced from those of the outside receptacle and each having communication with the outside receptacle by way of an opening` or openings along its bottom walls, a body of sand or the like filtering material between adjacent ones of said plurality of receptacles and the walls oi' the outside receptacle, a conduit discharging into one ol said plurality of receptacles, and conduits connecting said plurality of receptacles one with another.

2li. In a device of the kind described, an outside tank or receptacle having a sealed bottom, and a plurality of receptacles therein spaced from the outside receptacle, said plurality of receptacles being in communication with each other, and each of said plurality of receptacles having communication with the outside receptacle by way of an opening or openings along its bottom walls, a body of sand between said plurality of receptacles and the walls of the outside receptacle, and a conduit discharging into one o said plurality of receptacles.

25. ln a device of the kind described, an outside receptacle having a sealed bottom, a second receptacle within the irst and having its walls spaced from those of the irst receptacle, the second receptacle having communication with the outside receptacle by means of an opening or openings along its bottom walls, a body of sand or the like filtering material in the spaces between the two receptacles, a conduit discharging into the inner receptacle, and a removable cover for the apparatus, suitable openings being provided in the walls of the outer receptacle for permitting ventilation.

26. In a device of the kind described, an outside receptacle having a sealed bottom, a second receptacle within the first and having its walls spaced from those of the first receptacle, the second receptacle having communication with the outside receptacle by means of an opening or openings along its 4bottom walls, a body of sand or the like ltering material in the spaces between the two receptacles, a conduit discharging into the inner receptacle, a removable cover for the apparatus provided with a window, suitable openings being provided in the walls of the outer receptacle for permitting ventilation.

27. ln a device of the kind described, an outside receptacle having a sealed bottom, an inside receptacle having its walls spaced from those of the outside receptacle, said inside receptacle having communication with the outside receptacle by way of an opening or openings along the bottom walls of the inside receptacle, a body of sand or the like liltering material in the spaces between the two receptacles, a conduit discharging into the inside receptacle, a cover for the -appa- 13@ ratus, a ventilation pipe communicating with one end of the apparatus, the outside receptacle being` provided With another opening for the admission of air.

28. In a device of the kind described, an outside receptacle having a sealed bottom, an inside receptacle having its Walls spaced from those of the outside receptacle, said inside receptacle having communication With the outside receptacle by Way of an opening or openings alongthe bottom Walls of like filtering material in the spaces between the tivo receptacles, a conduit discharging into the inside receptacle, a cover for the apparatus, a ventilation lpipe communicating.` Wit-hf one end of the apparatus, the outside receptacle being'- provided with another opening for the admission of air and a screen over said second named opening.

In testimony whereof I lailiX my si nature.

EDWARD L. ME ILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of: Patents',

Washington, D. 0., 

